GREATER PRINCE WILLIAM CASA INC

Abused, Sexual Abused, Neglected and Abandoned

Every day children are being abused, neglected or abandoned by the people who are supposed to love, care for and protect them. Some of these children will find themselves in a courtroom, helpless victims whose futures are being decided by people they don't know and who don't know them. Greater Prince William CASA has served more than 415 of these children this year.

What is CASA? CASA was started by a judge in 1977 in Seattle. In his experience children were getting lost in the system and falling through the cracks. He felt that ordinary citizens could be enlisted to help keep the children safe, make sure that they get the services they need and do the necessary investigation and research to help insure the court would have as much information as possible from which to make the critical decisions about the child's future and that the child thereby would have greater opportunity for a safe, nurturing home. There are now more than 900 programs in the United States and nearly 30 in Virginia.

How does CASA help? Specially trained volunteers from the community are sworn in by the court and become Advocates. They provide an extra set of eyes and ears to help insure that the child remains safe, receives all they need to help them overcome their trauma, has the hope of a better future in a safe, nurturing and permanent home as quickly as possible. The Advocate is a sworn officer of the court and reports directly to the Judge. CASA trains caring people from our community to help protect some of our most vulnerable citizens, our children.

According to a 2007 audit by the US Department of Justice Office of the Inspector, CHILDREN WITH A CASA:

• Receive more services to help them become physically, mentally and emotionally healthy than those without a CASA
• Are less likely to return to the system reabused
• Will spend less time in foster care
• Are more likely to be adopted
  
  

Greater Prince William CASA GPW CASA trained its first class of volunteers in 1994. The organization serves the children of the 31st Judicial District which includes Manassas City, Manassas Park, and Prince William County. Greater Prince William CASA is the second largest CASA program in Virginia serving more than 415 abused children through more than 100 volunteer Advocates.

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